Piano Sonata No.2 in F minor - E.T.A. Hoffmann

Performed by Wolfgang Brunner.

I - Adagio e con gravità - Allegro - (attacca): 0:00
II - Larghetto - (attacca): 3:08
III - Allegro: 8:35

Hoffmann's Piano Sonata No.2 was composed around 1805-7, after a call for scores from Zurich music publisher Hans Georg Nägeli. However, the piece was rejected, along with the rest of Hoffmann's sonatas. The composer attempted to met Nägeli's demand of departure from the traditional sonata form as well as contrapuntal mastery. Other publishing houses also rejected the score, not being finally published until 1922, a century after Hoffmann's death. The work seems to be modelled after Mozart's "Fantasy for a Musical Clock" KV 608.

When Hoffmann’s musical works were finally exhumed and examined in the early 20th century, researchers were disappointed that his music did not contain any of the grotesqueries or ironic humour of his famous tales; but some of it has turned out to be very solidly written and worthy of performance, as seen in Hoffmann's piano sonatas. Despite Hoffmann’s lifelong adoration of Mozart (he even legally changed his third name from Wilhelm to Amadeus in honour of his idol), in these piano sonatas the language spoken is halfway towards Beethoven. It should also not surprise us, considering his love of Mozart’s formality, that although the emotional content of the sonatas is close to Beethoven, these works also mirror the structure of Mozart. The result is a constant and fascinating tug-of-war between very Classical design and Romantic harmonies.

The first movement is structured as a prelude and a fugue. It begins with a slow and grave introduction, which recalls the opening of Mozart's Piano Fantasy in C minor KV 475. The allegro then begins with a rhythmic theme, subjected to a dramatic fugue. Hoffmann impressively combines romantic expression with rigorous structure. A transition leads us to the next part.

The second movement is very freely written, resembling a fantasy. It opens with a lyrical theme, exposed in a simple and direct manner. It is then unfolded and developed in a romantic fashion, exploring a range of moods before sudden chords takes us to the final part. The third movement opens with the allegro theme of the first movement, which is then developed as it rounds the entire piece. The movement ends with an expressive coda.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: https://tinyurl.com/29rgxqm4

To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/2cfrpb77